Mass Effect 3 demo is out.

[Slidikins]

I won't have time for this game for a good while, so I'm actively avoiding the multiplayer aspect of the demo. I'm also conflicted: the game runs like crap on the 360. Slowdown issues, awkward lightning (in my opinion) and clunkier controls than what I'm used to. I want to get it on PC (especially since I'm buying a new one soon) but I really dislike Origin. I don't need another Steam on my computer. So... I don't know what platform I'm getting it on, or when.

My first playthrough the demo I went with Adept. It went well, really well, and I enjoyed it. Second time through I went with Sentinel but didn't enjoy it as much. The cooldown on Throw during part 2 was massive. Like, you'd use Throw and then be on cooldown for the rest of the fight. I could use singularity on Liara 2-3 times before I got Throw back. Seriously? And that was with 4 levels in it.

[Outrider]

Just a heads-up: the Xbox 360 Collector's Edition is sold out pretty much everywhere, so if you've decided you want it after playing the demo, you'll have to do some searching. GoHastings claims to have some in stock so I ordered one, but we'll see what happens when it comes time to actually ship it out.

I enjoyed myself with the 360 version of the demo, but I decided to try the PC demo after Penny Arcade's Tycho recommended it. I wound up immediately getting a Quarian Engineer with my Recruit Pack, so I played a few matches with that character. It was a blast, although I haven't been very successful with using the turret ability. (Also, mapping your powers to the number keys is just a terrible, terrible default setting. I'm sure all the hardcore RPG and MMO fans are comfortable with it, but the pacing of Mass Effect is more akin to a shooter, and as a result the controls should be a little more in line with that.)

The multiplayer is really surprisingly good. I find myself wanting to go home and just play a round or two of the multiplayer. It's not something I expected to enjoy this much.

[Slidikins]

(Also, mapping your powers to the number keys is just a terrible, terrible default setting. I'm sure all the hardcore RPG and MMO fans are comfortable with it, but the pacing of Mass Effect is more akin to a shooter, and as a result the controls should be a little more in line with that.)

I've used number keys in several shooters from Quake to Team Fortress, usually to swap directly to one of the many weapons I'm carrying. I think, with time, you won't find it as foreign a concept as you think.

[Outrider]

I've used number keys in several shooters from Quake to Team Fortress, usually to swap directly to one of the many weapons I'm carrying. I think, with time, you won't find it as foreign a concept as you think.

Shooters have traditionally used the number keys to switch between specific weapons, sure, but that's a case of selecting new equipment now and again versus constantly activating an instant ability (it's also almost-entirely inferior to the scroll wheel option for the most part, but that's not really relevant.)

Using the number keys as quick access to spells and abilities is really something more common in PC RPGs and MMOs and wasn't problematic due to the slower pacing of those games. As a result, it made some sense when the first Mass Effect came out due to its gameplay having many similarities to a standard PC RPG, but playing the Mass Effect 3 demo made me realize how silly it is that they'd keep the default bindings as they were.

(Plus, we could get into the whole fact that a keyboard is, quite frankly, an awfully inefficient gaming input device compared to specialized hardware, but that's a debate for another time and place.)

But anyway, this is all moot, as the PC version will almost certainly allow you to rebind the keys to whatever you'd like them to be.

[Serephim]

Yeah the multiplayer is very, very welldone in this game. It almost reminds me of Phantasy Star Online in terms of your constant feeling of character progression.


But the single player is boring as fuck.

[McLaughlin]

No one gets to complain about button mapping until Southpaws get a scheme that doesn't suck harder than a black hole.

I mean really, Modern Warfare/Halo/Battlefield, what the fuck?

[Outrider]

No one gets to complain about button mapping until Southpaws get a scheme that doesn't suck harder than a black hole.

I mean really, Modern Warfare/Halo/Battlefield, what the fuck?

Ha - okay, I think you've got me there.

[amtalx]

Just a heads-up: the Xbox 360 Collector's Edition is sold out pretty much everywhere, so if you've decided you want it after playing the demo, you'll have to do some searching. GoHastings claims to have some in stock so I ordered one, but we'll see what happens when it comes time to actually ship it out.

This was the case with the ME2 CE too. I had a hell of a time tracking one down, but the artwork on the tin was well worth it. In order to avoid the same thing, I pre-ordered the ME3 CE pretty early...last June.

[Kent]

No one gets to complain about button mapping until Southpaws get a scheme that doesn't suck harder than a black hole.

I mean really, Modern Warfare/Halo/Battlefield, what the fuck?

I used to play with a left-handed setup for quite a while, just from being so used to aiming with my left thumb, due to the analog option on controls being solely on the left side of controllers for so long since they started becoming standard. A few games that didn't allow you to play with that setup were unplayable for a long time, just due to muscle memory, and games that don't allow you to play with inverted Y-axis for aiming are still unplayable.

Luckily, those aren't as much of a problem any more because developers have started to have a bit more sense than in the past when it comes to control schemes.

Unfortunately though, not enough sense to make the right stick button do something sensible in a lot of cases. The only real options are quick-turn and melee. If I'm already having to aim with the left trigger, just use the analog for that to zoom in with my scope, rather than taking up a button where my thumb will almost always be in a fight, for a function that generally only a handful of weapons will ever have.

[Outrider]

This was the case with the ME2 CE too. I had a hell of a time tracking one down, but the artwork on the tin was well worth it. In order to avoid the same thing, I pre-ordered the ME3 CE pretty early...last June.

Yeah, I wasn't aware. I didn't even think I was going to pick up ME2 at launch until a few days before the release date.

Ah well, you live and you learn. My major concern was missing out on the extra character, but it was just confirmed that the additional character will be available as DLC for people with the standard edition of the game, so no big loss if I miss out on the CE.

(Although if they aren't sending me the CE, I'd certainly like to know sooner rather than later to make sure I can get a standard edition at release.)